An Example LEGEND MILESTONE

DELIVERABLE IDEA REVIEW CHECKPOINT

Product / Software / Web Design Process Guide KEY MEETING INFORM

PHASES concept discover definition refinement development launch preparation post launch

conceptual
MILESTONES start concept
approval
proposal approval and scheduling design
review
PRD
approval
UI design
approval
committed
schedule
visual design
approval
beta launch

Communicate business needs Communicate business needs Brand Positioning Review Promotional & Marketing Needs Business development / partnering
& brand identity & brand identity

{
Mockups to marketing
Note: In some companies these roles are

business
owners
encompassed by one person

Collect team input Product Roadmap Promotion plan

Describe problem or needs, Develop strategic rationale, business case,
proposed solution, and benefits. financial analysis, policy considerations,
implementation plans. Point release plan

L
Research: Solicit input from Business owners/
product Gather information for and
brands - contact other associated stakeholders
(legal, customer support, international)
manager create the Concept Document Gather supporting market research, etc.

Write Draft PRD and Review

A
Gather information for and create the Deliverables:
ROLES

Proposal Document
Project kickoff Product Evangelize Post mortem
Requirements
Document
(PRD)

U
Review user feedback on previous product Refine design concepts Wireframes and navigation maps
UI's and analyze competitive products. (authored by a
Final product

{
ui/id/ia Develop navigation model and Product Manager) Product prototype, e.g. paper, HTML, director, or flash Begin writing functional spec specification Design fidelity checks and bug fixes UI maintenance
refine scenarios & handoff to
design Provide input for level of effort
UI Design Approval UI Revisions based on testing build team
or two people. i.e. ui may do user research or visual designers may do ia, etc.

N
and
Idea Deliverable: Deliverable: Deliverable:
Define personas, usage scenarios, user Proposal Templates
Concept goals, and perform task analysis I T E R AT I O N S I T E R AT I O N S
Document Document Concept Design Review
&
Develop usage scenarios this step Navigation
Concept

C
and/or design concepts and / or may be (authored by
Note: In some companies these roles are blended into one

optional Design UI / ID / IA Design)

Provide input for level of effort Visual design explorations Refined Visual design explorations Art direction Visual Design Approval Handoff to build team Visual maintenance
Materials
Leads brainstorming Concept
(authored by
visual Prototype

H
blended design
design team)

Provide input for level of effort UCD research cont'd. (i.e. paper prototyping, Competitive usability testing Prototype usability test Prototype testing Write/update test plans for final usability
participatory design, field studies, surveys, Usability test release product
etc. capture issues for next release
Define personas, usage scenarios, user
user goals, and perform task analysis. Focus Group, Field Studies,
research Survey Analysis, etc.

Execute visual design Build/publish

production Provide input for level of effort
Build HTML QA

credits Design based on earlier maps created by various UI design teams at America Online Incorporated. Revised and edited by Erin Malone, September 2003 for the AIfIA.